Josie Hollister has determined she’s willing to give up her dream of being a rancher and settle for being a rancher’s wife. She throws away her britches for petticoats and corsets, but the act causes Calvin McBride to run for the hills.

Calvin McBride wants Josie in his bed every night, but the woman has gone loco. All that lace and those floppy hats will set his Texas longhorns into a stampede! Can his brother convince him it’s not the clothes that makes the woman?

Josie Hollister has just finished her last cattle round up and is now in Kansas for good. Her reason? To marry Calvin McBride. But Cal doesn’t know of her plan just yet. In front of Calvin’s eyes Josie goes from wearing britches to wearing petticoats and corsets. But Calvin is still stuck on the old Josie Hollister. Do the clothes really make the woman? Besides, he doesn’t want a wife; especially Josie dressed the way she is. How can she convince him otherwise?

This story is captivating from start to finish. It’s a short, passion-filled read. Lauri Robinson has done a terrific job with the year 1879. Her facts seem accurate and the speech, dress, and act of the characters fit 1879 wholly. For such a short read the characters are strong and developed quiet nicely. I love the scenes and the conflict that Robinson has provided in just twenty-five pages. It’s a great job, the scenes aren’t too rushed either.

I think you’ll be surprised when you read this story--I know I was. Lauri Robinson definitely goes on my author must-reads! This was one of my favorite historical short reads in a long time! Can’t wait to see more from Robinson!

RATING EXPLANATION:

1 Star— At this time, we at LASR do not post these reviews. If the book was boring, badly edited, poorly written, had little or no plot, stilted dialogue, and/or unsympathetic characters, we will decline the review.

2 Stars— Not wonderful, but tolerable. There may be some minor editing glitches but not enough to stop you reading. Not a wall-banger, but nothing you'd re-read. This is a book you would borrow from the library - not buy - and never check out again.

3 Stars— Good. Mostly enjoyable. You made it through and didn't consider it a waste of time or money. The story was strong enough or the conflict tight enough, so even when the book faltered, it was able to draw you back in and keep you. There's a chance you'll recommend it to a friend, but it wouldn't go on your keeper shelf.

4 Stars— Very Good. You're glad you were the one who got to review the book. You would probably buy it and would definitely recommend it to your friends. You liked the characters and the plot. The writing style was good and the editing clean.

5 Stars— Great! You would definitely buy this book. You would definitely recommend it to your friends. You really loved the characters and the plot and would consider looking for this authors back list or making her an autobuy. The writing and editing were superb.

LASR Best Book - For a book or story that is truly exceptional. You think about it when you're not reading it. You wonder what happens to the characters when you finish. You would absolutely buy everything else this author had to offer. The highest praise - and reserved for only a few.

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